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Detection of Protease Activity by Fluorescent Peptide Zymography
Published on: January 20, 2019
Detection of toxigenic bacteria in polyurethane foam from cot mattresses by polymerase chain reaction
Richard E Sherburn1, Tania E Webb, Richard O Jenkins
1Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester, UK.
Abstract:
A sensitive methodology for PCR detection of Staphylococcus aureus or Bordetella pertussis DNA within cot mattress polyurethane foam was developed. The assay's applicability was evaluated on polyurethane foam from used cot mattresses. S. aureus DNA was detected in 42% of mattresses of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) victims and 29% of comparison group (no death) mattresses tested. B. pertussis DNA was detected in 50% of SIDS mattresses and 27% of comparison group mattresses. There was no significant statistical association between SIDS cases and the presence of S. aureus or B. pertussis DNA in cot mattress polyurethane.

